Parent Group News & Information

Parent Group News
Well, the 2007-2008 school year has begun with excitement and promise. Our presence at the Harvest Festival at Stony Kill Farm in early October, was a great success and a great experience. We are already looking forward to being there next year! Our bake sale and face-painting fundraiser took in over $500!  As we approach the holidays, the Parent Group will host it’s annual Holiday Craft Day at the school where kids and parents alike get into the spirit of the season by mixing, mingling and crafting wonderful holiday gifts for giving.  After that there is talk of possibly hosting a series of Parenting Nights where we can get together to view and discuss a video based on Alfie Kohn’s book Unconditional Parenting which was read by several parents. There is also the possibility of a hosting Community Lighting through the sale of specially made Randolph Luminaries to benefit the school’s scholarship program and to round out the year, we are looking at a good old fashioned giant lawn sale in the Spring.  Keep your eye on the Friday Note for details.
 
During the 2006-2007 school year, the Parent Group raised over $17,000 at several events. Some of these included Beacon Sloop Club's Annual Pumpkin Festival, a highly successful auction of goods and services, and a beautiful Craft Fair.  We also sold local Alps Chocolates, Art Cards, and of course, continued the sale of our very successful "Randolph Cooks!", printed & bound cookbook featuring the delicious delights of the Randolph Community.

• We were happy and honored to use some of those funds raised to send our crazy about math, star gazing, fruit snatching Upstairs Teacher, Bradford King for a much deserved two week vacation to Alaska, after 20 years of service to the Randolph School. The Parent Group also hosted a BBQ Celebration for Brad on campus where friends past and present came to remember and revisit.

• Funds raised in 06-07 were also distributed in equal parts to each of the main groups, Downstairs, Upstairs and Upper School for the purpose of purchasing needed items not included in the budget. A few years ago, the Parent Group purchased a wireless weather station, which is used on a daily basis and has become part of the Upstairs curriculum. Much of our contributions also come in the form of time and talents.

• In spring of 2005, we were pleased to have been able to fund Diane Boujikian's trip to Reggio Emilia, in Italy. Diane has been a teacher in the Downstairs for over 20 years. Her trip was part of a tour of the school system there, organized for teachers from the United States. She was excited about the things she saw and learned there and hosted an informational slide show for the Randolph community upon her return. Information about the Reggio Emilia style of early education.

• Beyond fundraising, the Parent Group strives to offer fun and educational events for parents as well as our children. In the past, we have held talks on early childhood development and education, had speakers on homeopath treatment, had wreath-making and Ukrainian egg painting workshops, sponsored craft and sports days for kids on days when there was no school and have held cooking workshops. There are no limits to what we can do.

2005-06 Parent Group Newsletter (pdf)

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